Pacquiao cites Bible: Government can kill criminals

PHOTO: Reuters

Sen. Manny Pacquiao, invoking what he said was a verse from the Bible, stood pat on his argument that the revival of the death penalty would not run counter to Christian teaching, in spite of Pope Francis' statement that capital punishment was "inadmissible."

"I agree it's wrong to kill, okay, individually, we're forbidden from killing … but you can read in the Bible, the authority, meaning the government, is given power to impose death penalty," he told reporters.

Such authority, according to Pacquiao, "is established by God and instituted by God."

SWORD

He cited a verse from Romans 13: "For the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason."